Kaze to Odoru Ayakashi
by Ayasaka Mao
Summary: Prologue...I suck at summaries so...please read on...this story has heavy OC ness rated T just to be safe...please R&R thanks XDDD
1. Chapter 1

The weeping cherry tree danced with the wind and its falling petals fluttered as if they're one being. The moonlight shone showing the silhouette of a tall young woman of about her twenties standing beside the tree with a hand pressed against the trunk. She's wearing a kimono with two layers with the upper layer's left sleeve dangling from her waist and her lower kimono reaches her ankles in contrast to her upper kimono which reaches only up to the middle of her leg, her obi is tied on her right side leaving the rest of the sash dangling up to her knee. The upper kimono is intricately embroidered with sakura flowers against a red background with its petals sprawled about the whole material and her lower kimono is as blue as the night time sky and the kimono is embroidered with the clan's crest, signifying that she's a member of the main family.

Her long black hair is gathered in a bun on the left side of her head but some are left dangling and reaches her shoulder. One of her hands is hidden in her kimono and tucked in her obi are two fancy fans with long red threads decorated with white and black stones one on each fan with tassels on each end of the red threads and behind her also tucked in her obi is a short sword, a kodachi. Her small purple eyes are welling up as she stares up at the dancing branches of the tree. Her pinkish lips smiling slightly at the sight.

'_Onii-sama…Rihan niisama!' _she thought gritting her teeth and her tears falling from her eyes.

'Kagura basama!' a young boy, dressed in black kimono shouted running to the young woman. His hair is brown on the top and black at the bottom. His eyes are brown but despite this, his appearance has a striking resemblance to the young woman.

'Ara, Rikuo-kun…' the woman he called Kagura said as she smiled looking at him.

'Kagura-sama…' another woman clad in mourning, her brown hair is gathered in a bun behind her head, her gentle eyes are red from crying and her appearance is much frail than Kagura's. The young woman's eyes lowered at the young boy.

'My deepest sympathies, Wakana-san.' Kagura said bowing to the woman in black, but the other woman took a step closer to her so she could take her hands.

心よりお悔やみ申し上げます, 若菜さん

'I'm the one who should be saying that.' The other woman answered and broke down crying.

'You're his wife, Wakana-san.' Kagura answered smiling sadly; she kneeled and embraced the young boy. 'I'm sorry I haven't been around, Rikuo.'

'Kagura basama?'

'_Onii-sama…forgive me!' _ She thought tightening her embrace.

'So it took you that long to get rid of that?' an old man asked Kagura while they're sitting on the porch. The old man's head protrudes to the back of his head and is bald. His eyes are as small as Kagura's and is also wearing black kimono with a hakama and haori bearing the crest of their clan.

'I'm sorry, Otou-sama. Had I been around this…' Kagura answered. 'Rihan Niisama wouldn't….'

'Stop putting the blame on yourself, all of us never anticipated this would happen.' He answered and breathed out smoke from his pipe. 'Rihan is strong, and is not one who needs looking after.'

'But Otou-sama…' she answered back but she wasn't able to finish what she's going to say.

'Foolish daughter, you shouldn't show tears to anyone.' The old man said patting the young woman's head gently. 'Go, I'm sure your brother would like to see you.' Kagura managed to nod slightly.

After that, she changed her clothes to those like the other woman's but with five crests on her kimono with the positions just the same as what she's previously wearing with the exception of two crests on the middle of the back of her kimono's sleeves. She came into the room where her brother's remains are being kept. She stood at the entrance, not wanting to go in she shut her eyes closed as she mustered all her might to step forward. Both humans and youkai alike looked back at the person who just came in.

'Kagura-sama!' one of the youkai exclaimed standing from where he's sitting. 'You came back…'

'Who's that?' a human asked.

'Rihan's younger sister…' another answered as Kagura proceeded in front to the casket and looked at her brother's monochromatic portrait. She kneeled and lowered her head clenching her fists that rested on her lap.

'I'm home, Rihan niisama.' She choked under her breath.

ただいま、故伴兄様

A young girl dressed in the same manner looked from behind Kagura covered her lips and is on the brink of crying.

'_Kagura-sama, you've finally returned but Rihan-sama is…'_ the girl thought but a huge man placed a hand on her shoulder she looked over to him as he shook his head.

俯くな、神楽!

'_Don't hang your head, Kagura!'_ Kagura heard her brother's voice in her head as she looked back at the casket where her brother is lying.

'Onii-sama…?' Kagura murmured. _'You're right, Onii-sama, I shouldn't be like this! Because I am Nura Kagura, the second daughter of Nurarihyon.'_

私は奴良神楽、ぬらりひょんの二女。

風と踊る妖


	2. Chapter 2

'Good morning, Kagura-sama.' Wakana greeted Kagura who just got out from her room.

'Oh? Good morning, Wakana-san.' Kagura answered scratching her head and yawning.

'It's unusual for you to oversleep, Kagura-sama.' The older female answered smiling at the younger. 'Breakfast will be ready soon.'

'Alright, but where's Rikuo?' she asked looking around for the boy in question; instead she saw a bunch of youkai walking around the mansion getting ready for breakfast.

'He went to school already.' Wakana answered carrying three stacks of trays.

'Wakana-sama!' a lively girl called carrying several stack of trays ran towards the two females. 'Oh, good morning, Kagura-sama!'

'Good morning, Yuki Onna. You guys sure are lively.' Kagura answered smiling at the young girl. 'Come to think about it, it has always been like this huh?'

'Oh yes, it has been a good change of pace, don't you think Kagura-sama?' Wakana answered as Kagura smiled and looked at the weeping cherry tree. 'Ever since you returned, the weeping cherry tree has been blooming all year long.'

'_Shidarezakura…Kaguya.'_ Kagura thought as images of recollection flowed through her mind.

枝垂桜。。。輝夜

'Kagura-sama?' Yuki Onna called looking at a nostalgic Kagura.

'It's nothing, I just remembered something.' She answered. 'They must be waiting, are you two sure you want to tarry this long?'

'Oh my! Yuki Onna-chan we better get there.' Wakana answered and started walking to the room where the people waiting are. 'You too should be here, Kagura-sama.'

'I'll be right over after I fetch Otou-sama.' Kagura answered laughing and waving at them to do their job. As soon as they closed the door she went down to take a closer look at the weeping cherry tree. _'Everything's fine, Rihan niisama. Rikuo grew up as you wanted him to be…but I'm sure there'll be hurdles ahead.'_ She thought pressing a hand against the tree as a strong gust of wind blew along with the falling petals.

'Was that a message?' her father asked.

'No, that was just the wind passing by.' Kagura answered. 'I'll be going out for a while,'

'And where are you going?' he asked but received no answer. 'Since when have you stopped telling me everything, Kagura?' he asked again but silence was his answer.

'Wakana-san said breakfast is ready. You don't have to go to the neighbor to eat.' Kagura answered smiling at him.

'Insolent daughter! How dare you say that to the Soudaisho of the youkai?'

'I'm saying that because you are _the_ Soudaisho.' Kagura answered. 'Can't you act like you age?'

'Did anyone tell you that you sound like your mother?' her father remarked sarcastically.

'It can't be helped since I'm her daughter.' She answered.

'Since my blood also flows in you veins, you should've taken after me too…' the old man murmured inaudibly.

'What was that, Otou-sama?'

'Oh nothing…you should hurry in or Wakana-san will get angry.'

'I know, I'll be having breakfast with the others.' Kagura answered. 'You can go ahead and have breakfast by yourself, but I'm warning you, Otou-sama no sneaking about!'

'_She sometimes talks like Youhime but I wonder if Rikuo got his human sentiments from her when she's a full youkai? That should be impossible but Rihan's blood does flow in her.'_ The old man thought as he's walking back to the house and looked at his daughter. _'What the heck, she is my daughter anyways…'_

After breakfast, Kagura went to the town and bought yamabuki roses from the flower shop. While she's walking through the streets an elementary school student excitedly talking to back to his friends not looking at where he's going bumped into Kagura, who's deep in thought.

'What the…?' the student said scratching his head.

'See what I told you?' a young girl whined at him.

'I'm sorry…' the boy said bowing at her.

'It's alright,' Kagura answered smiling. 'I'm at fault too, I'm sorry.'

'Kagura basama?' a familiar voice of a young boy called.

'Oh, Rikuo-kun…is classes over?' Kagura asked.

'Yes,' Rikuo answered but before he could ask his aunt where she's going his classmates intervened.

'Who is she Nura-kun?' the boy who bumped into Kagura asked. 'An acquaintance of your family?'

'No, she's my aunt.' Rikuo answered surprising his friends.

'I'm Nura Kagura, nice to meet you.' The older female answered. 'Thank you for looking after my nephew.'

'No, it's nothing…' another girl answered with short brown hair.

'By the way, where are you going Kagura basama?' Rikuo asked finally being able to ask what he intended to ask the older Nura.

'Oh, I'm off to you-know-where.' Kagura answered showing him the yamabuki roses she bought along with an expensive looking bottle of sake.

'You're going to the cemetery?' Rikuo asked.

'I know, weird huh? Though it's not the season for it…I get anxious if I don't stop by once in a while.' Kagura answered smiling and laughing uneasily. 'Well, I'd better get going so I can get home early. You should be home before dark, Rikuo-kun.'

'Alright, Obasama.'

Just when the sun is halfway down the horizon Kagura arrived at the cemetery and she stood before the tomb bearing the Nura Clan's crest, it's been four years since Rihan died.

'I'm here, Rihan niisama.' She said kneeling before the tomb and placing the flowers in front of it. 'Great weather we have here today huh?' she said sitting down and pouring sake on the white cup she placed on her brother's tombstone. 'Thanks to you, Otou-sama's having a hard time convincing Rikuo to succeed you as Sandaime. Instead of being a splendid youkai, he's becoming a splendid human,' she laughed and drank from her cup.

'_Then, why don't you do it Kagura?'_ a voice of a man said. _'Take up the title for the time being until Rikuo finally decides.'_

'No way, even though your blood flows through me I couldn't possibly do it.' Kagura answered as a man dressed in green kimono with black stripes sat beside her. Like her father, his head protrudes to the back of his head. His hair is black and has a ponytail. One of his amber eyes is closed and his lips are curved in a sly smile as he took the sake cup Kagura placed on the tombstone to his lips to sip from it.

'_And why is that?'_ he asked posing his cup to Kagura as she poured the drink into his cup.

'When I saw you leading the Nura Clan, I knew that I can never be a leader. That I can never stand in your shadow. So I decided to stand by your side as your assistant.'

'_Even though you're my sister?'_

'You and I know the truth…that I'm not your biological sister.' Rihan's eyes lowered and sipped from his cup and stared at it as the sun started to sink in the horizon.

'_Nevertheless, you're a part of the Nura main family—our family. Moreover, you're my little sister.' _He answered looking away from her. _'Your name's Nura Kagura, is it not? That alone should be enough.'_ he said and as Kagura turned to look at him, he's no longer there and the cup that he was holding sits quietly in exactly the same place where she placed it and it seems to have not moved an inch.

おめぇの名は奴良神楽だろう？そりゃじゅうぶんさ。

'Rihan niisama…?' Kagura called staring at the place where she was talking with her brother. 'You're really good at this, you know that?' she said as she looked at her cup where a lone yamabuki rose petal is floating. She stared at it for a while and drank from the cup leaving the petal. She took the bottle of sake and stood up. 'I'll be back to visit again, Oniisama.' She said and walked away.


	3. Chapter 3

While she's walking back home, she saw a blooming cherry tree.

'_That's weird, ordinary cherry trees shouldn't be blooming this late.' _ She thought looking at the tree. _'It's already August.' _She looked away from the tree and remembered herself lying in front of a weeping cherry tree when she saw a person wearing a green kimono with black stripes. She looked up and saw Rihan looking remorseful at her. _'That's when…I became a child of the Nura Clan.'_ She thought as a strong gust of wind blew surprising all people around her. She sighed and walked away. She took one of her fans and waved it and hid it as soon as she took it out. When she disappeared from sight, hidden youkai came out to stare at the decapitated body of their comrade.

'She couldn't be the one from four hundred years ago!' one said.

'She's too strong for us to handle!' another said. 'She's not like when we last saw her.'

'It must be Nidaime's fault. Rumors had it that at the same time Nidaime met her; the Soudaisho of the Nura Clan had a daughter.'

'You mean Nidaime took her in? And adopted her as his sister? That's impossible!'

'Still, we can't dismiss that thought.' Another said.

'I'm home…' Kagura said sitting on the platform and removing her shoes.

'Oh, welcome home, Kagura-sama.' A man said walking towards her. He's wearing a dark green scarf, a light green kimono and his head is floating from his shoulders. His hair is blonde at the top and black at the bottom.

'Oh, Kubinashi, what's the entire ruckus about? Something went on?' Kagura asked standing on the platform after she removed her shoes.

'Apparently, Rikuo-sama got hurt on his way home.' Kubinashi answered as other youkai are running about the mansion with bandages on their hands.

'I-I see…where's he right now?'

'He's at the living room, Kagura-sama.' He answered as Kagura sighed and went to the place where her nephew is. As she came in she saw Rikuo being hoarded by the same youkai carrying bandages earlier.

'Can I please be excused?' Kagura said as the hoard stopped moving as if a person just hit the pause button and moved away leaving her nephew lying on the tatami mat. 'What happened, Rikuo-kun?' she didn't receive an answer as the young Nura showed her his injured knee.

'_Just as I expected, they're over-reacting again.'_ Kagura thought and smiled as she kneeled in front of her nephew and placed her hand over his knee.

At the same time, Nurarihyon is passing by and saw the door ajar. He came close and saw Rikuo's wound being healed just under Kagura's hand, he was reminded of his wife and his son who could do the same. He became surprised and didn't expect her to do such feat.

'Now, tell me what happened?' Kagura said smiling sweetly, after Rikuo's wound closed up as the young boy told her what happened.

'I tripped by the street when I'm walking home,' Rikuo answered not looking at his aunt.

'I see, you better be careful next time alright?' Kagura answered standing up patting the boy's head as she saw her father standing by the door. 'Otou-sama…'

'So you're able to do that too?' he asked.

'So you still doubt me as your daughter?' Kagura whispered as she passed beside him.

'No, I'm just surprised you could do that as well.' He answered. _'Doubt? Am I still doubting her?'_

'Oh, Rikuo-kun you should change your clothes before your mother catches you like that.' Kagura said out loud as the younger Nura ran to his room. 'Oi, you guys aren't you spoiling him too much?' she shouted with her hands on her waist and her nerves literally popping.

'B-but Kagura-sama…' one of the smaller youkai answered but she didn't let him finish.

'It's okay to abide by your master's orders but I'm telling you, don't spoil him or else he'll be the one who'll suffer in the end, get it?'

'Yes, Kagura-sama!' the group of youkai answered.

'You're really tough, Kagura…' Nurarihyon said smirking.

'The same goes to you, Otou-sama! Aren't you being overprotective?' Kagura said pointing an angry finger at her father as the rest of the youkai scrambled trying to hide from her. 'And here I thought you're the toughest ayakashi of all…the Sodaisho of the youkai! You lot are too noisy!' she shouted turning to the running youkai.

'Kagura…' he called calmly and seriously.

'What is it?' she angrily turned only to see the seriousness of her father's expression. 'O-Otou-sama…'

'It's better this way, Kagura…'

'What do you mean?'

'I can't afford to lose _him_.' He said clearly lowering his head, Kagura's face softened and couldn't help but be feel a twinge in her chest when she heard that.

'I understand, Otou-sama but Rihan niisama died right in front of him. He's bound to ask questions in the future.'

'About Hagoromo Gitsune? Don't be ridiculous.' He answered and walked away.

'_Otou-sama…I was right then.'_ She sighed and slid her hands in her pockets and stared at the weeping cherry tree.

That night, Kagura sat on the porch staring at the moon as the petals from the weeping cherry tree continues to fall almost endlessly. She took the sake bottle and poured some in her cup and drank from it as soon as it's full.

'_It was on a night like this…when he found me by the streets. Bathing in my own blood, my life was slowly slipping away from me.'_


	4. Chapter 4

_Edo Period (1603-1868)_

A little girl was sitting beside a dead tree; she's tightly hugging her knees covering her face with it. She's wearing a short kimono that reaches her upper thigh and her clothes seem torn apart. Her body is covered in mud, bruises and injuries.

'Who is that child?' a woman asked her friend.

'Don't go near her! They say she's an ayakashi…' another answered pulling the woman away from the girl. The people kept talking about her and some even kick or punch her as they pleased.

'Oi, you…' a deep-voiced man called her but she didn't look up. 'You're not an ayakashi affiliated with us eh?' he asked but she didn't answer or move.

'Oi, I'm talking to you!' he lost his patience and unsheathed his sword and poised it to swing at her but when about to deliver the blow he couldn't move his arms as he stared at her hidden face.

'_Wh-what the hell? I can't move!'_ he thought. _'Is that her "fear"?'_ The girl looked up and stared at him with sharp angry purple eyes and stood up. The once dead tree now became a cherry tree with its petals falling numerously. As the girl raised her hand, the wind began to pick up and the petals that touched the man injured him. He became scared not being able to move and the wind became violent blowing against the man the girl stopped making the petals slash through his body until his body fell to pieces.

'Wh-what kind of ayakashi is she?' another said as he pulled out his sword and lunged for an attack but she turned to him and the petals flew to him but before she's able to kill him, he slashed her neck and she fell on the ground as the wind stopped blowing. There she lay on the ground bleeding profusely until she's lying on a pool of her own blood. 'Damn you, you monster!'

'That's enough!' another man said.

'Rihan-sama!' the man said.

'That girl…she's part of the clan.' Rihan said walking toward the girl who immediately turned pale. _'She lost too much blood at a short time.'_ He thought and kneeled beside her. _'I finally found you, little Kagura…'_ he took a blade and wounded his own arm letting the blood flow. He took her and placed his wounded arm next to her open neck. After a while, her wound closed up and so did his arm—to his surprise. He smiled and lifted her as she fell asleep in his arms. _'The ayakashi that dances with the wind, Kagura…'_ he thought looking at her.

風と踊る妖、神楽

That morning, she woke up in a room. She sat up and looked around, she tried to remember what happened that night and all she could remember is the one where her neck was slashed open. She touched her neck and felt the scar that was left there. She looked at the window wondering what went on and faintly remembered a black haired man kneeling beside her.

'Oh, you're awake already?' the same man who saved her said standing by the door. 'How do you feel?' he asked but she just stared at him. 'Well you don't have to answer, after what you went through you must be exhausted.' He said but she still didn't say a word.

'Do you have a name?' he asked but she shook her head. _'At least she responded.'_ He thought. 'Do you know how you got there?' he asked again and she shook her head again. 'I guess you couldn't remember anything.'

'Who are you?' she finally asked as he looked at her.

'My name's Nura Rihan, the Nura Clan's Nidaime.' He answered after a while.

'Why did you save me? I am an ayakashi…' she said and he didn't let her finish.

'I'm an ayakashi too,' he answered making her look at him. 'Half of me is.'

'A hanyou?' she asked with her eyes widening. 'How can I believe that?'

'If you want you can go ask my old man, or even my mother at that.' He answered as she stopped asking questions. 'That mark on you face…what is that?' he asked as she placed her hand on the left side of her face where a small distinctive mark of a cherry blossom is.

'I don't know.'

'You must be a new breed of flower youkai, a sakura youkai perhaps?' he said as he urged her to take a look at the weeping cherry blossom just outside the window. 'That tree hasn't been blooming for years, but since I brought you here last night it blossomed as you can see now.'

'Sa…kura…' she murmured looking at the tree.

'I saw you that night…' he said surprising her. 'The night after the Hanami festival, a young girl danced with the wind along with the fleeting sakura petals.' She looked down and saw his injured arm.

'Your arm…'

'Oh this? That was something you showed me back there, I was planning on healing your wounds alone but you did the same to me, I guess I have to thank you too.' He said as she felt something throbbing inside her as it stopped she looked at him.

'Did you…did you do something?' she asked.

'Oh, you mean that? You were losing too much blood so I gave you some of mine.' He answered. 'I could've taken you back here and let my mother do her thing but there's not much time.'

'You mean…that was your blood?' she asked.

'Yeah, so that'll mean I shouldn't be surprised if you could heal injuries and diseases just like I can…' he said smirking at her. 'That's it, I've finally thought of a name for you.'

'A name?'

'Don't you think it's really difficult not having a name? And since you don't have one I'll give you one.' He answered. 'Your name will be…Nura Kagura!'

'Nu-Nura…? Isn't that your family name?'

'Since my blood is now in you, that technically makes you my kin…though I'm too young to be a father. Alright, you'll be my little sister, is that alright?' he answered scruffing her already messy hair.

'Your…little sister? Wait a minute…' she said standing up suddenly but she felt dizzy and fell but he caught her before she hit the ground.

'Don't overdo it, you're still too weak. You should rest some more.' He said and she fell unconscious again in his arms. _'Really reckless, you know.'_

A few years later, Kagura, the new member of the Nura Clan just came back from the night patrol in the streets of Edo. She went to her room to change and when she's half-way putting her clothes on the door slid open as she instinctively covered herself and fell on her knees.

'Kagura…' Rihan said as a towel hit his face rendering him unable to finish what he's trying to say.

'KNOCK FIRST BEFORE YOU COME IN, BAKA NIISAMA!' Kagura shouted.

'But I haven't seen you in a while, aren't you glad your niichan came to you?' Rihan asked teasingly running from Kagura's room.

'That wasn't what I had in mind, pervert!' Kagura angrily answered chasing after him, now clad in her plain red kimono, as she spun to kick Rihan in the face and he blocked it with his arm and jumped backward to avoid her rampage.

'Eh? But Kagura-chan looks so cute!' Rihan answered jumping from the second floor, bypassing the stairs, and down on the first floor.

'Stop kidding me!' Kagura answered doing the same as she threw a plate from a youkai who's bringing the dishes to the kitchen and to her brother who got hit by it and fell but he immediately got up and ran running over the smaller youkai that blocked his way. 'Come back here!'

'Dear, oh dear…they're at it again.' A long haired woman said standing beside Kubinashi.

Meanwhile, Nurarihyon and Youhime are sitting on the porch viewing the weeping cherry tree at dawn drinking tea as their quiet time was broken by Kagura and Rihan running about the mansion shouting and arguing.

'It's so peaceful, isn't it?' Nurarihyon said after having a sip from his cup.

'It is, Ayakashi-sama.' His wife answered smiling peacefully as they heard glasses breaking and things being thrown and hitting the walls.

'Ah, that's Edo for you～' her husband answered.

'Now we have three sets of fools…' a woman said sighing while hanging the laundry. She's wearing a white furisode with butterfly designs at the hem and at the ends of her sleeves and her hair is black and white with a shade of blue.

'Recently, it's been lively hasn't it, Setsura?' a youkai, wearing a traditional Noh actor's clothes, said.

'Two idiots from an idiot father…' Setsura answered sarcastically ignoring the commotion and continued hanging the laundry.

'Aren't there someone who'd stop them?' a crow asked flapping its wings beside Setsura. 'At this rate, they'll destroy the house.'

'Let the fool of a father handle those two dimwits.' She answered not caring about what'll happen.

* * *

><p>'Some extreme memory we've got…' Kagura said as Rihan sat besides her taking as sake cup as the female Nura poured the liquor into it.<p>

'_That's maybe because I haven't got anyone to play with back then…?'_ he answered laughing.

'Anyone to play with? Are you saying you took me in because you want someone to "play" with you?' Kagura asked with her veins popping.

'_Partly, but I already told you my real reason for bringing you into the family right?'_ he answered looking at her who's pouting. _'Stop pouting, it makes me want to tease you more. So, is there something wrong? It's unlike you to drink by yourself.'_

'Yeah, something has been bothering me these days.' Kagura answered as she poured sake in her cup, Rihan rolled his eyes to her and messed with her hair.

'_Awww, look at you sulking…'_ Rihan said scruffing her hair. _'Kagura-chan is so gullible!'_

'Stop it, and I'm not sulking! And why would I be bothered with that? Even I'm being a bit too overprotective of Rikuo at times…' Kagura answered as Rihan looked at her smirking.

'_I didn't say it's about Rikuo now, did I?'_ Rihan answered as Kagura sighed defeated. _'You know I'm really thankful to have you as my sister, and I'm at ease thinking that you, Wakana, that old man of ours and the others are looking after my son. But that doesn't mean we're bypassing you as a part of the family.'_

'I know that, I know that but still…' Kagura answered as Rihan stopped scruffing her hair.

'_You're my sister, Kagura, and I love you…' _he suddenly said making Kagura look at him. _'Do you believe me?' _Kagura just stared at him as he gently pats her head.

'Really, you…' Kagura said hiding her face. '…you always say unexpected things. Baka niisama...' was all Kagura could say, but to her surprise her brother pulled her to his shoulder as he's still petting her.

_'Unfortunately for you...this baka niisama of yours is the only one you open your heart with.'_

'Give me a break, you're already dead...' she answered rolling her eyes away from him, as he went rough with her again. 'Stop that already! I'm not a cat!'

_'Just remember this, Kagura, you're not alone...you have everyone in this clan beside you.'_ He said.

'Usual oniisama...you're just used to come and go just like that.' Kagura answered sighing heavily and continued to drink by herself. She raised her sake cup to the moon as her brother's presence passed leaving no trace like the sakura the dances with the wind.


	5. Chapter 5

A girl ran through the darkness frantically. She's crying, panting and shouting for help, but in the secluded forest no one heard her cries.

'_Someone! Someone! Help…!'_ she thought as she ran into a tree rendering her unable to run anywhere. She turned around and saw her attackers walking closer. 'No…don't come closer…don't come any closer!' the young girl shouted as Kagura woke up in cold sweat. She sat up breathing heavily and her eyes dilated as if something scared her.

Scared her…what could possibly scare Kagura, the murderous flower ayakashi?

'_A nightmare…?'_ she thought covering the right side of her face with her hand. _'I've never had that nightmare since Rihan niisama took me in…'_ she looked outside the window only to see a moonless sky. _'…since Rhan niisama took me in.'_

'Good morning, Kagura-sama.' Wakana greeted Kagura, who's deep in thought, sitting on the porch leaning against the pillar with her legs crossed. 'Kagura-sama?' she called after a while not receiving an answer.

'Oh, Wakana-san…' Kagura said jolting up in surprise. 'I'm sorry, I was just thinking about something, did you say something?'

'That's unusual of you, Kagura…' Nurarihyon said laughing as he approaches from the mansion. Kagura's eyes widened and a bead of sweat trickled from her forehead. Her lips started twitching and her knees, hidden by her red kimono, started trembling. 'Hm? What's the matter, Kagura? You look like you've seen a ghost.' Kagura looked down but managed to smile.

'I'm alright; I'll just go back to my room…I think I need more rest.' Kagura said scratching her head and left the two downstairs.

'_What was that? Why am I scared of Otou-sama?'_ Kagura thought as soon as she closed the door of her room, trying to calm herself down. _'There's only one person who can scare me like this…yes, it's that person.'_ Kagura said deducing her thoughts and remembering her time in the forest. After calming herself down Kagura finally went down to the kitchen to help Wakana cook lunch.

'Good morning, Kagura-sama!' Yuki Onna greeted cheerfully.

'Kagura-sama, are you feeling alright now?' Wakana asked looking worried at Kagura.

'Oh, was Kagura-sama sick or something?' the young ayakashi asked looking at the red clad lady.

'No, I just felt a bit under the weather that's all.' Kagura answered trying to cover up, but ends up sounding terrible.

'Oh, that's good to hear then.' Wakana answered as they continued cooking. 'Kagura-sama, won't you join us?'

'Hm, what is it?' Kagura asked turning to her sister-in-law.

'Rikuo and I will be visiting Rihan-sama later, can you join us?'

'Why not?' Kagura answered and gently smiled at Wakana as they finished cooking as Yuki Onna helped them serve lunch to the waiting crowd.

'Where's Otou-sama?' Kagura asked looking around for her mischievous father. 'Don't tell me he went somewhere else to have lunch?'

'Come to think about it, he was here a while ago.' Wakana answered.

'Ah, it's that time of the year right?' Kagura asked remembering the day she heard the news of her brother's death. 'Let's leave him be for now…' she said looking over her shoulder hoping to see her brother there, but to her dismay she only saw the petals falling from the tree.

After lunch Kagura went to the main room where her brother's funeral altar is located, she replaced the wilting flowers with yamabuki roses as she always does. As she placed the vase on the altar, she heard water spilling on the tatami mat followed by a glass. She turned around to see her nephew staring at the flowers with widened eyes. Clearly he's remembering something, the lady stood up and approached him but to her surprise he didn't move an inch.

'Rikuo? What's the matter?' she asked shaking him, and he woke up from his trance-like state only to look nervously at his aunt. 'Are you alright?' she asked again, this time unable to hide the worried tone she suppressed the first time she asked.

'Kagura basama...?' the boy murmured looking surprised that his aunt is looking worriedly at him.

'Are you alright? Did something happen?' she asked again as her nephew shook his head and smiled at her. 'Don't scare me like that...you're going to give me a heart attack. Now go change your clothes, your mother is waiting.' she said finally smiling and pushing him to go to his room.

_'That's so cute; Kagura-chan is all fussed up about her little nephew.'_ Rihan said walking to her.

'Shut up, can't you do anything about that habit of yours?' she asked looking at him.

'_Am I not allowed to show up from time to time?' _he asked turning away from her acting like he's sulking. _'And here I thought about checking up on my son and little sister…'_

'That's enough drama from you, you're not even in the right age for that…' Kagura answered massaging her temples as Rihan rolled his eyes at her and sighed with relief and turned to her.

'_Aren't you going someplace else?'_ he reminded smiling gently at his sister.

'Oh, shoot! I better get ready or Wakana-san will get angry!' Kagura jolted and ran out. Rihan suppressed his laughter and looked at the weeping cherry tree just outside the room.

'_Still the same as ever…Sakurahime…'_ he smirked and disappeared just as Nurarihyon came in the room where Kagura left Rihan's funeral altar open.

相変わらずだね。。。桜姫

'_It's been four years, huh?' _ He thought kneeling in front of the altar. _'Rikuo and Kagura are all the family I have left…I can't afford to lose both of them. I will not bury another child of my bloodline.'_

That afternoon, the three went to the cemetery and offered flowers and prayers to the person buried there. After a long while, they finally decided to go home and while walking down the stairs Kagura stopped sensing something out of place in the dense woods beside them.

'Kagura-sama?' Wakana called snapping Kagura out of her reverie. 'Is there something wrong?'

'N-no…it's nothing, I'm sorry.' Kagura answered and walked towards the mother-son pair. _'What was that? I felt something or someone watching us. It's definitely not an ayakashi associated with us, I better be on guard. I cannot let Rikuo and Wakana-san get caught in a fight between us.'_

After a while, Kagura only sensed the ayakashi watching them and it's not doing anything other than that. When she took out her fan with the black stone its presence disappeared, startling Kagura that she turned around to look for it.

'Wakana-san, why don't you go ahead I forgot to buy something.' Kagura said trying to be as calm as she usually sound.

'Would you like us to accompany you?' Wakana volunteered along with the young Nura.

'No, it's nothing that big, I can handle it myself and besides you two must tired after the long walk.' Kagura answered and Wakana understood what she's trying to say and left the flower ayakashi. As soon as the two are out of sight, the trees around Kagura became sakura and the petals flew around her and in every nook and cranny of the quiet street, as she herself, turned into her ayakashi form with the sakura kimono and purple eyes. _'This smell is familiar…but why can't I remember it?' _she thought as some of the petals flew past her. 'It's no longer around…keep in watch, he might appear again.' She said as the petals flew and disappeared while she turned back to her human form with her black kimono and brown eyes and she started walking back to the mansion.

'I'm back,' Kagura said walking to the door as Yuki Onna came to her.

'Welcome home, Kagura-sama.' She greeted and seems to be in a hurry.

'What's the matter?' Kagura asked looking at the younger ayakashi. 'If that's what you're talking about, then there's no need to worry, I bought some vegetables on the way.'

'You're a life saver Kagura-sama!' Yuki Onna said taking the bag from Kagura and running to the kitchen.

'There's no need to say that much…' Kagura said as a bead of sweat dropped from her temple.

'Seems like you're relaxed as usual…' Nurarihyon said walking to his daughter who sat on the porch watching the full moon.

'Same goes to you,' she answered. 'Where have you been all day?'

'Is it wrong for me to wander off?'

'I wouldn't say it's wrong, but you can't wander off too far because of your age.' Kagura answered with an emphasis on her father's age. He sat beside her and took a sake cup as the younger ayakashi poured the drink on it.

'Aren't you drinking too much lately?' he asked but received no answer from the person he's talking to, he sighed and kept on drinking. 'That aside, it sure has been peaceful isn't it?'

'It has…' she answered. 'Otou-sama, promise me something.'

'What is it?' he asked looking at her and noted the seriousness on her tone.

'Although I'm in no position to say this but…if something happens to me, will you take care of Rikuo?' she asked looking back at her father solemnly. His eyes widened as reminisced his son before he died.

もし私に何があってば、リクオを頼む

'Idiot daughter, do you intend to leave you nephew to an old man like me?'

'I'm saying this because you _are _Nurarihyon.' Kagura answered rendering her father unable to answer.

Later that night, Kagura woke up trembling after dreaming the same dream she had the night before. She wiped her sweat from her forehead and turned to see a pair of amber eyes staring at her.

'Ah!' she shouted covering herself with her blanket.

'_I knew you're having that dream again…'_ Rihan said sitting beside his sister, his face dangerously close to hers. _'You're scared.'_

'Who wouldn't be scared after waking up and seeing a face such as yours?! And a dead person's on top of that.' Kagura answered.

'_I went out of my way to check up on my little sister and this is what I get? I'm so hurt, Kagura-chan.'_ He said crossing his legs as Kagura looked down feeling guilty for what she said. _'Come to think about it, something like this happened before right?'_

Kagura tilted her head remembering the time when she first had the nightmare. Her mother, Youhime, Nurarihyon and Rihan came to her room and stayed with her until she fell asleep peacefully.

'_I guess you're experiencing the same tonight…'_ Rihan added. _'Don't worry, niichan is here.'_

大丈夫だ、兄ちゃんはここにいるぜ。

'I didn't ask for your help…' Kagura answered.

'_But you're still trembling…'_ he answered sitting closer to his sister and started patting her head. _'At least let me calm you down, Kagura.'_

After a short while, Kagura slept quietly as Rihan reclined beside her and staring at her while she sleeps.

'_If I'd met you sooner…I'd…'_ he said brushing her bangs that covered her face.

すぐに君を会ったら。。。俺は。。。


	6. Chapter 6

'_She's a young girl of only sixteen back then…' _ Rihan thought patting Kagura's shoulder gently as she sleeps. _'A beautiful young girl, Sakurahime…'_

美しい少女、桜姫

_[More than three hundred years ago]_

'Huh? What's going on?' Rihan asked while walking through the streets of old Edo when he saw a crowd gathering in another street. When he came closer, he saw a procession a noble person. 'Who's that?' he asked a lady who's looking admirably at the palanquin.

'It's Lord Sasaki's youngest daughter…' the woman answered.

'A noble princess?' Rihan asked looking at the palanquin as the wind gently blew making the curtain fly and the people slightly saw the person inside. But only one man was struck as he saw the fragile form of a young girl with long black hair, a pair of gentle brown eyes and small rounded face. His eyes widened and his chin almost fell to the ground and his heart stopped beating.

That night, he decided to peek in the mansion where the procession went. He climbed over the wall and leaned against a blossoming cherry tree as he saw the same young girl dancing a ceremonial dance along with an unheard music and the fluttering petals.

'_Kagura? Is she a kagura__1__ performer?'_ he thought as he watched her intently dancing gracefully along with the dancing cherry tree. He smiled contently as she turned. She stopped. He twitched. As the wind stopped blowing, two pairs of eyes locked with each other.

あなたは誰ですか。。。？

'And who might you be…?' the girl asked with utmost politeness in her tone that's only heard among the nobles.

'Sakurahime-sama!' an attendant called rushing towards her. The young girl, named Sakurahime, turned to her attendant and when she turned back to look at the man that stood on the wall, she saw no one. 'Sakurahime-sama, you shouldn't be out at this time of the night! You might get sick.'

'Ah? But…' she said turning again, and seeing only the cherry tree, and came in the mansion.

'So your name is Sakurahime…?' Rihan murmured, hiding behind the cherry tree, he smirked and jumped to the ground below to walk home.

'Oh, Rihan you've finally decided to come home?' Setsura said while she's placing the flower vase on a table just inside the foyer.

'Yo, I'm home…' Rihan answered. 'How've you been doing, Yuki Onna?'

'That's supposed to be my ques-' she said not being able to continue what she's trying to say as Rihan's wife came to greet her husband.

'Welcome home, Rihan-sama.' She said. She's a tall ayakashi with jet black hair and gentle eyes with fair white complexion.

'Oh, I'm home, Yamabuki.' He said opening his once closed right eye. 'Been doing well?'

'Eh? Yes…' she answered as he walked to her and looked at her deeply. 'Rihan-sama?'

'Ah, it's nothing. I just spent too much time awake.' He said yawning and walking to his room. _'Sakurahime…a young girl that dances with the cherry blossoms.'_

桜姫。。。桜と踊る少女。

Since that night, he's been coming to the mansion to watch Sakurahime either practice her dancing, playing the bue or just sitting on the porch watching the sakura. One night, when Sakurahime didn't show up he thought it was weird but he shoved the thought aside thinking that she became a shrine maiden. But for three nights in a row she didn't come and as if in a panic, he tried to look for her inside the mansion, using his skill as a nurarihyon youkai, he went through the mansion undetected. Not seeing her anywhere, he tried to look for clues and he heard her mother and sister talking. Sakurahime's sister said that they sent her to a shrine. He huffed and left the mansion, feeling something is wrong.

'_Where are you? Sakurahime?'_ he thought looking for her, and remembered what the woman said. _'A shrine? But where?'_ he stopped thinking hard as a crow flew past him.

'Karasu Tengu!' he called as a small crow appeared beside him.

'You called, Nidaime?' the crow asked.

'I have a job for you…' he said. In an instant after he gave his orders, numerous groups of crows flew about the city but he himself didn't sit back and continued his own search on foot. Deeper into the night, as Rihan is reaching the far end of the city, the news that he didn't want to hear came to him.

He hurriedly climbed the stairs of a nearby shrine and saw a dreadful scene. The clouds cleared up and revealed a body of a young girl of only sixteen hanged by the neck with a single rope up a blooming cherry tree beside the shrine. He ran to her and cut the rope and catching her as she fell.

'Hang in there, Sakurahime!' he shouted holding her bloody body, but before she could say anything her head fell back and a heartbreaking reality hit Rihan's chest hard as if he was punched by Aotabo with full force. His eyes welled up and he gritted his teeth.

しっかりして、桜姫！

'Sakura…hime…' he called but all his efforts to wake her up are in vain. 'Sakura!' he shouted and wept loudly that his voice could be heard at a distance and held her as tight as he can.

A day later, Rihan stood in front of the mansion looking at mourners coming and going. Everything turned grey that he thought that he's losing his sight, or even worse the loss of the young girl has almost driven him on the brink of his sanity. Just as when he's ready to talk to her more, this happens. He closed his eyes and walked away.

'_Maybe, we weren't meant to meet each other…'_ he thought. But he spoke too soon.

The night before Sakurahime's burial, her body suddenly disappeared. Stolen by youkai, her parents assumed and didn't even attempt to search for it. Instead, they went on with the burial without the body. Two weeks have passed, two of Sakurahime's sisters died the same way she did. They were found in the mansion grounds. But it didn't end there, all throughout Edo there's been reports of attacks on young noblewomen and some are found dead beside a ghostly cherry tree. The Nura Clan didn't sit quiet on this situation and made an investigation. The rumored culprit was a young girl of about her mid teens, long black hair and purple eyes. Rihan was vaguely reminded of Sakurahime, which he so affectionately called Kagura.

While walking through the streets doing his nightly patrol, he heard two of his subordinates talking to a girl. When he heard the situation is getting worse, he decided to step in and looked at the bleeding girl. His eyes widened and immediately took her in his arms. He cut his left arm and placed it next to her neck and both their wounds healed. She twitched and he sighed with relief.

'_She's still alive…'_ he thought. _'But…she became an ayakashi?!'_ nevertheless, he took her with him to the Nura main house where she woke up the morning after the ordeal. _'I finally found you…little Kagura.'_

Rihan smiled and stopped tapping Kagura's shoulder as she twitched. He sat up and readied himself to leave but he felt a tug at the hem of his kimono. He looked back and saw Kagura's sleeping form holding on to his kimono. He chuckled and sat back down.

'_Your niichan is not going anywhere, Kagura.'_ He whispered. _'I'll always be here, no matter what.'_ He smiled and leaned over to give her a peck in her cheek almost to her lips.

兄ちゃんはもうどこにも行かないよ、神楽。。。

1 Kagura (神楽): A Shinto theatrical dance. Literally means: god entertainment.


	7. Chapter 7

Kagura woke up; she turned to see no one around and assumed that her brother left while she's sleeping. When she tried to sit up, she saw a hand dangling on her left shoulder. She turned to her other side and saw her brother with his eyes closed, as if he's sleeping. Then it came to her, she's been sleeping in his arms the whole night! She twitched and he opened his eyes.

_'Oh, you're awake...' _he said as she sat in front of him.

'I thought you already left?' she asked yawning.

_'How can I leave when you didn't want me to?'_ he said smirking at her as she turned several shades of red. He chuckled and messed with her hair just as he used to._ 'You're so cute, blushing like that!'_

'Put a lid on it.' Kagura answered standing up and to her surprise, he pulled her from behind and held her.

_'I just wish I should've done this when I was still alive...'_ he said leaning his lips against her head. _'When I could still feel...but now, I can't feel a thing.'_

'That's because you're always out on your walks when you're still alive.' Kagura answered sarcastically but not moving away from him, she sighed and felt her brother's hand caressing against her cheek. She closed her eyes imagining the warmth and then she felt him pinching her cheek as she moved away with a hand on her reddening cheek. 'What was that for, darn niisama?!'

_'I couldn't help it,'_ Rihan answered grinning. _'Whenever you look serious, I want to tease you more.'_

'Am I your toy?' Kagura asked sighing with her head literally dropping in defeat. Behind her sight, Rihan smiled and just disappeared as the wind blew in along with the fluttering pink petals. She looked back only to the slightly open window and she held her left cheek which her brother was caressing only to realize that he's actually caressing the cherry blossom mark below her eye. She just smiled and changed her clothes.

'Good morning, Kagura-sama.' Her sister-in-law said smiling at her. She opened her eyes and noted something different. 'Kagura-sama?'

'Hm?' Kagura hummed not looking at her. Wakana thought it to be nothing and went on what she's doing.

'_Death chooses no one…'_ a female voice said making Kagura look at the window and surprising the older woman. _'The fear of death devours you…'_

'_This voice?!' _Kagura thought running out of the house and into the courtyard of the house and started looking around and saw no one, not a soul. _'Who was that?!'_

'What's the matter Kagura-sama?' Wakana asked running out.

'_You should know this…**Sakura youkai, Shidarezakura Kagura**.'_

桜妖怪、枝垂桜神楽。

'_I can only hear her inside me head?!'_ Kagura thought wanting to crush her aching head.

'_It's time to pay for your curse, Kagura…'_ the voice said laughing and fading as the wind blew.

'Kagura-sama, what's the matter?' Wakana asked.

'No-nothing, I think I just felt something...' Kagura answered trying her best to look normal. 'You don't have to worry.' She reassured as the other woman reluctantly left her there.

The blowing wind drew in the sakura petals that Kagura released the day earlier, it circled her and she breathed in the scent it brought with it.

'This smell...' she murmured. 'The smell of a degenerate soul...what are they after?'

'Kagura-sama...' a person called from above. Kagura looked up and saw a black winged man hovering above her.

'Oh, Kuroumaru...just in time, I want to ask you a favor.' She said as her father passed by and saw her talking to Karasu Tengu's oldest son.

'_For a youkai with a wide range of intelligence that can only be rivaled by the Tengu's network, what can't you find out? Kagura?'_ Nurarihyon thought as Kuroumaru flew off.

Kagura sighed and sat down in the ground beside the weeping sakura, to her father's eyes she is clearly thinking deep about something.

'Kagura…' he called walking towards her.

'Oh, Otou-sama, good morning…' Kagura answered looking at her father.

'It isn't like you to ask for a Tengu's help.' He noted crossing his arms inside his kimono. Kagura smiled and leaned against the tree.

'I'm just trying to make sure of something that's all.' She answered and suddenly, she bent over as she felt pounding pain in her chest.

'Ka-Kagura?' Nurarihyon called kneeling before his daughter. 'Kagura, what's the matter?' she didn't answer as she started gasping for air; her father knelt on the ground rubbing her back as she clenched her chest. He didn't waste time and shouted for help and his servants answered his call.

A while later, after they took Kagura back to her room while Nurarihyon and Wakana waited outside the room, the doctor of the clan told them that everything is normal and that there's nothing wrong with her.

'But for some reason,' he continued. 'She seems to be in a lot of pain.'

'What's the matter with her?' the older Nura asked worriedly.

'I…don't know.' The doctor answered. Nurarihyon lowered his head and opened his daughter's room where she lay asleep on her futon. Her eyes are shut closed and her fists are clenched gripping the mattress tightly. Her father could only kneel beside her and gently caress her forehead hoping it would ease her pain even just a little.

'_Kagura…'_ he thought. _'I saw it coming, I knew it will happen. But I refused to see it. I'm sorry…' _He stayed by her side watching her as she twitch and turn in pain. There are times when she shouted to the point that she's about to lose her voice. The servants outside heard her cries but they could do nothing and just painfully went on to do their work reluctantly. In a desperate feat to calm his daughter, he embraced her as her eyes shot open as she tried to reach out to something. She gritted her teeth and suddenly clenched her hands around her father's neck strangling him. Nurarihyon's eyes widened and took her hand but she proved to be too strong for him but he's surprised to see tears coming from his daughter's eyes and her lips are moving as if she's trying to tell him something.

'R…ru-run…a-way…' she choked. 'Run away, Otousama!'

逃げろ、お父様！

'Kagura?' he murmured as he pushed her away making her fall on her back. But she immediately got up and took her kodachi to lunge at her father who jumped through the window and on to the ground below. 'Kagura! What's the matter with you?'

The other servants tried to stop her but with the presence of the weeping cherry tree, she's able to fend them off without taking her focus out of the deed she's about to do.

'Kagura-sama! Soudaishou!' the servants shouted trying to get close to them.

'Ru-n…away, Otousama…' Kagura said again struggling to utter those words; she stepped closer as if being made to do so. As she's about to raise her short sword, she saw the weeping cherry tree and images from the past began to surface right in front of her. She lowered her head, clenching her teeth and forcing her hand to lower the sword as tears freely flowed from her eyes.

'Ka…gura…?' Nurarihyon called as she shook her head.

'It…it's…too l-late, O-Otousama…' she croaked raising her head to look at her father clearly showing him that she's crying. 'I'm sorry…' she said as she forced her arms to take the sword against her jaw. Nurarihyon's eyes widened and lunged in to stop her but with one quick movement, she slashed open her throat and by the time he got to her she's already bleeding to death. He caught her as she's about to fall on her back but one look told him it's too late.

'Kagura, hey! Kagura! Don't do this!' he shouted shaking her in his arms. She weakly opened her eyes and smiled at him. 'Hang in there…'

'I'm glad you became my father…' she whispered choking. 'Thank you…f-for those…memo-ries…'

'No…' he murmured realizing a stabbing truth, he shook her but she didn't move. Her eyes are closed as if she's sleeping but her body is stained with her own blood. He shook his head refusing to believe what he's seeing. He brushed away her bangs and tapped her cheek in an attempt to wake her up. But when she didn't respond, his eyes welled up and his tears that dried when Rihan died once again flowed.

'_Rikuo and Kagura are all the family I have left…I can't afford to lose both of them. I will not bury another child of my bloodline.'_ He recalled.

'Kagura! You're not going to leave us, you hear me? Answer me! You idiot daughter…!' he shouted and eventually breaking to tears as he held his daughter's lifeless body as close as he could. 'You're both idiots…you and Rihan.' He said cradling her. 'Going ahead of me…!'

A few minutes later, they brought her body in the house to clean her and dress her when Rikuo came home from school.

'Ah! Yuki Onna!' he called coming to the other woman. 'Have you seen Kagura obasama? I've got something to show her!' he said excitedly.

'Rikuo-sama…' the girl murmured sadly trying not to show her tears to the young boy and unsure how to break it to him. She just stayed quiet and embraced the young boy gently.

'Yuki Onna…?' the boy called curiously hearing her sobs.

While the servants are prepping Kagura, Nurarihyon stood on the porch where Kagura used to always sit to look at the weeping cherry tree. He blinked as saw his wife sitting under the tree smiling as Rihan and Kagura came and the former started teasing his younger sister. Youhime saw him standing by and smiled at him followed by Rihan and Kagura. Just when he's about to go down to them they slowly disappeared as a flower fell from the tree. He looked up and saw the weeping cherry tree turning brown.

'Now that Kagura's gone…' he murmured looking up. 'This tree's gone too?'

'Otousama…' Wakana called. The old man just looked down and walked inside the house.


End file.
